The Shift to Green Ammonia: How Talent Demands are Evolving in 2024
Green ammonia is emerging as one of the most promising zero-carbon fuels for deep-sea shipping. But as major carriers and energy companies race to retrofit fleets and build new vessels, a significant talent gap is opening up — one that threatens to slow the energy transition at sea.
Why Green Ammonia, and Why Now?
The International Maritime Organisation's 2023 GHG strategy has set a clear trajectory: net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by or around 2050. For many shipping companies, green ammonia — produced from renewable electricity and green hydrogen — is the most credible pathway to achieve this target at scale.
Unlike LNG, which reduces but does not eliminate emissions, green ammonia produced via electrolysis carries no carbon content at all. It can be used in two-stroke engines with relatively modest modification, and its energy density makes it practical for intercontinental voyages. With projects like MAN Energy Solutions' ammonia pilot engines already in sea trials, the technology is rapidly moving from prototype to production.
The Skills Gap: What Operators Are Telling Us
Over the past twelve months, Direct Search Global has placed engineers, superintendents, and technical directors across 14 ammonia-related shipping and energy projects in Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and Norway. In nearly every engagement, the same challenge has surfaced: candidates with the right combination of maritime engineering credentials and alternative-fuel experience are extraordinarily scarce.
The core problem is that ammonia handling requires a very different skillset from conventional marine engineering. It is toxic, highly corrosive, and requires specific training in cryogenic systems, leak detection, and emergency response. Most serving marine engineers have no exposure to it — their experience is in HFO, VLSFO, LNG, or methanol.
"We interviewed 47 candidates for a Technical Director – Alternative Fuels role in Q3 2024. Only 9 had any direct ammonia handling experience, and of those, only 3 had maritime backgrounds." — DSG Internal Search Report
Where the Talent is Coming From
Three talent pools are emerging as the primary sources for ammonia-competent maritime professionals. First, the chemical and fertiliser industry — companies like YARA, CF Industries, and OCI have decades of ammonia production and handling experience. Their process engineers and safety officers are being actively recruited into shipping.
Second, the offshore energy sector — particularly LNG-experienced superintendents and technical managers — are transitioning quickly. Many have already handled cryogenic fluids and high-hazard substances at sea, and their gap skills (ammonia-specific toxicity protocols) can be covered through specialist training programmes.
Third, a small but growing cohort of recently graduated marine engineers are specifically targeting green shipping from the outset of their careers, choosing cadetship programmes with ammonia or hydrogen-ready shipping companies in Norway, Japan, and Singapore.
What Employers Must Do Now
For shipowners and managers looking to build ammonia-capable teams, the most effective approach we are seeing combines three elements: early partnerships with chemical-industry training programmes, internal upskilling of existing technical staff, and competitive compensation packages that reflect the scarcity premium on this expertise.
Salary benchmarks have shifted materially. A Technical Superintendent with verified ammonia vessel experience in Singapore now commands SGD 130,000–180,000 per annum — 25–35% above the equivalent LNG or tanker benchmark from 2022. Fleet Managers and Technical Directors overseeing ammonia projects attract executive packages north of SGD 250,000.
Looking Ahead
The talent crunch in green ammonia shipping will intensify before it eases. With more than 200 ammonia-fuelled vessels on order globally as of mid-2024, and first deliveries expected from 2026 onwards, the window to build institutional knowledge is narrow. Operators that invest in talent acquisition and development now will have a structural advantage when their fleets transition.
Direct Search Global is advising several major shipowners and energy companies on their alternative-fuels talent strategy. If you would like to discuss your organisation's specific requirements, please contact our team in Singapore.